A Child of Our Own
by Dreamer Ginny in the Clouds
Summary: Sometimes I believe that family was the only thing that kept me sane during the war. It was also the only thing that let me know that I could love him just like she could. Harry/Ginny  slight Harry/Hermione


**A Child of Our Own**

I could feel Harry's palms relax as we stepped into Andromeda's house. Apparating had never been something he favored—especially when I was around. Sometimes I wonder if it's just because he looses focus around me or because he just gets nervous for my safety. Hermione likes to say its both.

As we walk through the kitchen with me giving a half-hearted hello to Andromeda, I find old feelings bring themselves up at the mention of Hermione's name. My nails dig into my palms just so I can refrain from frowning. I love Hermione. I really, really do. She's smart, beautiful, and she's probably going to be my sister-in-law a few years from now if all goes well with Ron. Yet, I know that she is more special to Harry than I can ever be; she is special to him in a way I never was.

It's silly to worry about this now, I think as Andromeda and Harry talk in hushed voices about the events of the war as if a death eater might burst in at the mention of dark times. The dark times are over, though, so why is my heart clouded with dread? Perhaps because it was not I who was alone with Harry on a horocrux hunt for several months, or because I was not the one he ran to first. He ran into her arms and smiled at her and rejoiced with her before he even thought twice about glancing my way.

"Ginny dear, would you like some tea?" Andromeda's voice rings out to me. I glance up and nod, politely asking for a spot of Earl Gray with some milk and honey. She smiles at me tenderly. My mother once told me that Andromeda thought me to be much like Tonks at times because of my "spirit" and vibrant hair. My heart pinches itself at the mention of my old friend and the other thoughts revolving in my mind.

Hermione has been the subject of many of my late night thinking's. I lie awake at night staring out the window of my room, dreaming and dreading of family and friends. For days I have wondered why Harry told me that I would be accompanying him to see Teddy. Why? Why would he associate me with something nearly as dear to him as Hermione? It makes the corner of my eyes water and my skin go clammy to wonder.

The tea on the stove whistles in approval of the water inside. Harry has been flipping through an album of Teddy's baby pictures since Andromeda left to make our hot beverages, occasionally catching my attention long enough to show me his first steps or the first time his nose puffed up and became bigger after he sneezed.

Teddy Lupin is dearer to Harry than I as well, perhaps. Everyone time his name is mentioned, his eyes gloss over with the sudden ambition to love him like a father. I wish I could put to words how much seeing his eyes glazed like that makes me feel. This is the reason why I did not protest him asking me. I want to live those moments with him, no matter if I am deserving of them or not. After all he's been through—after all I've been through—he deserves that much.

As we sip our tea in anticipation for the arrival of the just awoken Teddy Lupin, I stare at Harry in silent admiration. To me he is just as exciting to see his godson as Ron would be to eat an entire jar of Christmas pudding. I suppress a giggle at the warmness that fills me when I mention family.

Sometimes I believe that family was the only thing that kept me sane during the war. It was also the only thing that let me know that I could love him just like she could. I could hold him when he was happy just like I'd held onto Bill at the announcement of his engagement. I could also comfort him when he was sad, much like I'd help to comfort George after the loss of our brother Fred. But more importantly I could feel his desire to belong to something… anything.

She had already found her niche amongst the friends she'd longed for since she was young and the school she'd only dreamed of. Yet he, despite having his own friends, still longed for something more. It is this small fact that left me waiting for him when even she told me to give up. It was the fact that she could not fill the burning desire in his heart for something so close, yet so unattainable. Though I didn't know what it was, I knew somehow that it was my responsibility to provide it to him. And so by unspoken agreement she looked the other way when he smiled at her. Hermione had loved him for so long it ached, she once confessed to me while staying at the burrow once. She also confessed that she was not the one for him, for if it was so he would have stopped hurting for whatever it was he wanted. And though she did not mention whom the subject of her grief was, I saw the deep compassion in her eyes that had become stained with an emerald green.

It was then, by silent agreement, that she gave that right to me on the very night before this one. Somehow, she's managed to figure out what it was he wanted. I think I just did too.

"Oh, Andromeda…" I whisper, "He's beautiful."

Teddy stared up at Harry in silent curiosity, as if trying to put a name to his face. Harry smiles down at him with a love I didn't know he was capable of expressing and lets the toddler wrap his chubby fingers around the pointer finger that playfully pokes at the boys' stomach.

He winked at me with his devilishly hansom smile and said, "He's gotten big."

I nod in silent approval, still trying to keep this moment close to my heart. Though the past few years are the cause of much suffering for my family and I, I would do it all again just to re live the joy at the end. Fred once told me that I would only thank him in the end for his mischief, as by causing me misery he ultimately lead me to be twice as happy as I'd been before the pain. My smile livens at the thought.

Harry scoots his chair closer to mine, readjusting Teddy in his arms. He stares at me fondly before he begins to lean in. "Here, Ginny. I want you to hold him."

I'm so lost in Harry's eyes I'm afraid I'll drop Teddy, but he gently guides him into my hands and leaves them on my arms. As we cradle him I understand why he's brought me here.

One day, he wants us to do this again, but with a child of our own.


End file.
